Do Recent Natural Events Mean Anything?

by Richard Lehrberger
February 25, 2013
3 days before the Pope resigns

To a considerable extent, our times have been influenced and shaped by Naturalism, a philosophy which maintains that all phenomena can only be accounted for naturally; that is, to the exclusion of a divine purpose and origin. Moreover, Naturalism denies the existence of God and the supernatural realm, and assigns no purpose to nature, which Naturalism contends is the totality of existence. Under Naturalism, things and events simply happen with no meaning attached to them.

Modern society has been substantially affected by the philosophy of Naturalism, and tends to uphold Naturalistic science (i.e., the science that we are accustomed to) as the only means of understanding the universe and all of the events that take place therein. With nature seen as the whole of existent things, it is only natural (forgive the expression) that scientific study has been artificially elevated to the highest of all pursuits, and that science has been given the final word on explaining reality.

Therefore, an event such as that of the 2012 DA14 asteroid, which zoomed past the earth on February 15, 2013, at an eyebrow-raising 17,200 miles above the planet’s surface (the astronomical equivalent of a “close shave”), is ultimately of no importance beyond whatever value it has for science. Likewise, the meteorite that exploded over Russia earlier that same day (with the force of 30 Hiroshima bombs) — a phenomenon with no connection to the asteroids flyby, we are told — has no real significance besides that which is of interest to the scientific community.

In addition, the fireballs (three total) that people are reported and confirmed to have seen in the skies over California, Florida and Cuba — two having occurred the date of, and the third two days after, the asteroids near miss of the earth — are subject to the same Naturalistic principle: Science (i.e., Naturalistic science) has the final say.

In the Naturalist worldview there is no possibility that these recent meteoric and asteroidal events could have spiritual significance, just as the lightning bolt that struck the very top of St. Peter’s Basilica on February 11, 2013, only a few hours after Pope Benedict XVI had announced his impending retirement, could not possibly be connected to the Pope’s declaration that he will be stepping down from the Chair of St. Peter at the end of this month.

With an eye towards Naturalism, it is equally impossible that the 4.9 magnitude earthquake of February 16, 2013, which struck the Lazio region of Italy near the Castle of Fumone — the fortress in which Pope St. Celestine V (the only other Pope in Church history to abdicate willingly, and of his own accord) had lived out his final days — could have been related to the Holy Father’s public decision to resign the papacy five days before.

Inconsequential as well, from a Naturalistic viewpoint, is that Pope Benedict chose February 11th, the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes, as the date on which to declare his resignation. With respect to Marian apparitions and recent astronomical events in light of Naturalism, it is also irrelevant that in the Church-approved Message of Our Lady of Akita (Japan), the Blessed Virgin warns us that “fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity,” if mankind does not repent and better itself.*

Further still, if we adhere to the philosophy of Naturalism, then we could neither permit ourselves to entertain the possibility that the asteroid and the meteors of the past week were a warning along the lines of Akita, nor could we attribute anything special to the date of that startling Akita revelation: October 13, 1973, the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima.

Regarding the Message of Fatima, it is not in keeping with the Naturalist concept of reality that we give consideration to this religious message (the Pope’s resignation, a lightning bolt, an asteroid, an exploding meteorite over Russia, fireballs, and an earthquake all aside). In Naturalism, there is no room for discussing the Blessed Virgin’s prophecy of the “annihilation of nations” should the Pope and the bishops fail to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in time.

Certainly, no inference could be made connecting the lightning bolt and the exploding Russian meteorite to the “need” for the Consecration of Russia. God, since He does not exist in the Naturalist construct, could not have been using nature (the lightning bolt) to remind the Holy Father to perform that Consecration. At the same time, God could not have elaborated on that reminder with a stern warning (the meteorite) of something disastrous that will happen if His Holiness does not carry through with Heaven’s command for the Consecration.

Within the framework of Naturalism, the events of February 11th to the 17th, 2013, merely took place. The leader of a religion announced a rare and forthcoming retirement; lightning struck the top of a tall edifice, which lightning tends to do; another asteroid passed by the earth, just a little closer this time; the meteorite that exploded over Russia calls to mind the Tunguska event of 1908, when another space rock exploded over Russia, but at that time over a different location; the fireballs were nothing more than shooting stars, which people see all the time — these three were only brighter than usual; and yet another earthquake occurred in a region that is prone to having earthquakes.

Special thanks go out to Monica Tomassini and Joanna Swords for their contributions to this article.